Egyptian cleric Safwat al-Hijaz recently gave an address at a rally in which he launched the presidential campaign of Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamad Morsi. According to a MEMRI translation, al-Hijazi declared at the rally that the “the dream of the Islamic Caliphate” was being realized by Dr. Morsi, his party, and his supporters and called for “millions of martyrs” to march on Jerusalem:
Following are excerpts from an address made by Egyptian cleric Safwat Higazi at a rally in which he launched the presidential elections campaign for Muslim Brotherhood candidate Muhammad Mursi. The rally aired on Al-Nas TV on May 1, 2012. Safwat Higazi : We can see how the dream of the Islamic Caliphate is being realized, Allah willing, by Dr. Muhammad Mursi and his brothers, his supporters, and his political party. We can see how the great dream, shared by us all – that of the United States of the Arabs… The United States of the Arabs will be restored, Allah willing. The United States of the Arabs will be restored by this man and his supporters. The capital of the Caliphate – the capital of the United States of the Arabs – will be Jerusalem, Allah willing. […] Ceremony leader : Mursi will liberate Gaza tomorrow. Crowds : Mursi will liberate Gaza tomorrow. Ceremony leader : I am an Egyptian and proud of it. Crowds : I am an Egyptian and proud of it. Ceremony leader : Mursi will liberate Gaza tomorrow. Crowds : Mursi will liberate Gaza tomorrow. Ceremony leader : Mursi will liberate Gaza tomorrow. Crowds : Mursi will liberate Gaza tomorrow. Ceremony leader : Say: ‘Allah Akbar.’ Crowds : Allah Akbar. Ceremony leader : Say: ‘Allah Akbar.’ Crowds : Allah Akbar. Ceremony leader : Say: ‘Allah Akbar.’ Allah Akbar. Safwat Higazi : Our capital shall not be Cairo, Mecca, or Medina. It shall be Jerusalem, Allah willing. Our cry shall be: ‘Millions of martyrs march toward Jerusalem.’ Millions of martyrs march toward Jerusalem. Crowds : Millions of martyrs march toward Jerusalem. Crowds : Millions of martyrs march toward Jerusalem. Safwat Higazi : Millions of martyrs march toward Jerusalem. Crowds : Millions of martyrs march toward Jerusalem. Ceremony leader : Banish the sleep from the eyes of all Jews. Come on, you lovers of martyrdom, you are all Hamas. From the eyes of all Jews… Come on, you lovers of martyrdom, you are all Hamas. Banish the sleep from the eyes of all Jews. Come on, you lovers of martyrdom, you are all Hamas. Forget about the whole world, forget about all the conferences. Brandish your weapons… Say your prayers… Brandish your weapons… Say your prayers… And pray to the Lord. From the eyes of all Jews… Come on, you lovers of martyrdom… Banish the sleep from the eyes of all Jews. Come on, you lovers of martyrdom, you are all Hamas. Safwat Higazi : Indeed, all the lovers of martyrdom are Hamas. I say from this podium, from Al-Mahalla, from the heart of the Delta, the heart of Egypt, so that the whole world may hear. We say it loud and clear: Yes, Jerusalem is our goal. We shall pray in Jerusalem, or else we shall die as martyrs on its threshold. Millions of martyrs march toward Jerusalem. Crowds : Millions of martyrs march toward Jerusalem. […]”
Safwat al-Hijazi is the chairman of the board of an organization known as Trustees of the Egyptian Revolution which is known to have coordinated with the The International Committee to Break The Siege on Gaza, in turn closely tied to Hamas and the Global Muslim Brotherhood. In July 2011, he gave a TV interview in which he made virulently anti-Semitic remarks including:
“Those who profess to be Jews are foreign riffraff, as I told you. They originated from the Khazar Jews who lived in Romania or Poland, after having been banished from Spain during the Inquisition. They were Jews by religion, and they were banished, and they lived in these countries as Khazar Jews… They are not related in any way to the Israelites – not in their race, their dynasty, or their religion. […] “What was on the minds of Theodor Herzl and his forefathers was the hatred of the international community toward those so-called Jews, and the corruption and evil that they have brought upon the world, ever since they tried to kill Christ. These people earned much hatred and loathing. Herzl wanted to give himself and the world a break, so he began to consider establishing this state.” […]
As discussed in a post from April, al-Hijazi was one of a group of Islamic scholars barred from entering France to attend a French Muslim Brotherhood conference. The group also included Global Muslim Brotherhood leaders Youssef Qaradawi and Tariq Ramadan.